Exploring Campamento Cave, Surigao del Sur

GPS waypoint: Cave N9 12.978 E126 02.743 / Junction to Cave N9 13.209 E126 02.587
Location: Brgy. Gamuton, Municipality of Lanuza, Province of Surigao del Sur

Cave System
Campamento Cave is a system of 3 caves. Only Cave 1 (and just part of it) is offered to the tourist. Caves 2 and 3 are reserved for the professional cavers. All visits require registration with the municipal tourism office - they provide the guide. The cave is only 5 kms away from the town proper with perhaps a kilometer of dirt road from the highway junction. Before reaching the cave, you'll be passing through Silop Spring. This is another tourism attraction on its own. It's best to savor this after the cave visit - to wash away all that cave mud and grime.

Campamento Cave

Albert
The local tourism office provided me a guide - Albert, who has received proper training as a cave guide. With his motorcycle, we were off to Cave 1.

Cave Features
Campamento Cave 1 boasts of high ceilings with the most ornate articulation of rock and stalactite/stalagmite formation. The formation takes surreal shapes, color and texture. There are a few forks within the cave. Albert took me to Chamber 1 and Chamber 2. Chamber 2 is definitely for the books for 2 great features:

Abyss
Near the end of the cave is perhaps the most mysterious of all - a vertical abyss that plunges down to perhaps 100 feet. It can't be climbed down by hand. It needs rapelling - only for the daring and skilled! Tourists can turn back at that point. Albert said that his trainor rappeled down to the river below and explored the area. He said that while walking through the bottom of the abyss, he already hit the end of it - the talked-about connection that takes you out to the town proper itself does not exist. My thought bubble? If the trainor was the first one to ever climb down, then who started this talk about a cave-town connection? Was that just a wild speculation that became urban legend?

Sun Roof
This is always a cave treat - an opening on the cave ceiling that allows the sun's rays to pierce through the forest canopy and down to the cave floor! This is the stuff movie sets try to emulate! I've heard of caves in the Phiippines that also have this, but this is my first one, and yes, it's quite a treat.

Ending Thoughts
Campamento Cave is truly fascinating - the cathedral-like ceilings, spacious chambers, woven rustic hue on the rock formation, eccentric stalactites and stalagmites, and yes, the 2 must-see features - the sun roof and the abyss. My mind is racing as I write this. At some point, I would like to rappel down that abyss and see for myself what the underneath of this underworld is all about. And yes, let's not forget Caves 2 and 3. One day, I'll get my training and come back to Lanuza to blog about the abyss and the 2 other caves! Sponsors anyone?

--- TheLoneRider

ps - If you want me to objectively cover the features of your city or municipality or barangay for this website (fiesta, waterfall, mountain trail, lake, river, cave, food, islands, beach, etc.), email me.

Tour Package:

1. Contact: Ms. Glenda Joy DC. Felix, the Tourism Operations Officer at 0939.916.9512 or email at lgu.lanuza@yahoo.com
2. 8:30 - 8:45am assembly time at municipal building lobby
3. 8:45 - 9:00 ETA Campamento Cave
4. 9:00 - 9:10 briefing
5. 9:10 - 10:30 cave tour
6. 10:30 - 11:00 snacks in Silop Spring
7. 11:00am end of tour
8. package includes guide, gears, lights, snacks and users' fee

Travel Tip:

1. bring lotsa cash. There is no bank here. Others had to go to the next big city (no joking matter) just to replenish on cash
2. fyi, internet is slow and only 3 commercial establishments have wifi - Priz Cafe, Surf Camp and 'Tagalog'

How to Get to Lanuza

1. from Tandag - at the Balilahan Terminal in Tandag, board any jeep or bus bound for Surigao or Cantilan. Get off at Lanuza (market), P50 jeep, 1 hour 20 mins.
2. from Surigao City - take any Bachelor Bus going to Tandag, vans can go straight to Lanuza
3. from Butuan City - go to the bus terminal and board any bus bound for Tandag. From Butuan airport, there is a van going to Lanuza
4. from Davao City - take a bus going to Tandag and from Tandag, take bus or jeep going to Cantilan (or Surigao) but get off at Lanuza

Attractions in Lanuza and nearby area

1. surfing - beach break, reef breaks, great for hard core surfers, great for beginners too, surf competition mid-November
2. Campamento Cave and Silop Spring (N9 13.033 E126 02.756)* - N9 12.978 E126 02.743, stalactites and interesting rock formation, P500/3pax tour package
3. Magkawas Falls and Green Paradise* - N9 14.995 E126 06.936, great for taking a dip, photo op and just communing with nature, P450/pax, max of 5 pax for guided tour
4. River Cruise and Firefly Watching* - P650/4 pax, includes boat, guide and dinner
5. Lanuza Marine Park and Sanctuary - N 09 15.279 E 126 06.753, fish spawning area, view deck overlooking Lanuza Bay, coffee at the Sanctuary Cafe
6. Mangrove Forest - protected habitat for fish breeding
7. Lanuza Ancestral Home - built in 1898, the structure is well preserved and still functional
8. Lanuza Boulevard - take a stroll at sundown and catch the breathtaking sunset
9. Punta Beach - taller waves for more experienced surfers
10. Hubason River - located in Carmen, but only 15 mins away from Lanuza

* contact Ms. Glenda Joy DC. Felix, the Tourism Operations Officer at 0939.916.9512 or email at lgu.lanuza@yahoo.com

Homestay Sites in Lanuza
(in May 23, 2013, a request has been made to Ms. Glenda Joy DC. Felix, the Tourism Operations Officer, for the individual telephone numbers of these homestays)

• Babac Bungalows - accommodation, surfing and yoga
• Mami's Surf Haus - N9 13.932 E126 03.475, aka Avelina Rosil, P200/pax dormitory, 0919.923.9007
• Ma. Karissa Julve - N9 14.004 E126 03.492
• Offshore - fronting beach
• Valspeak - fronting beach
• Bamboo Homestay -
• Twain Homestay - N9 14.009 E126 03.468
• Elizalde Homestay -
• Raymond Cubero -
• Susa Orozco -
• Fedila Ariate -
• Poktoy Palm Haven -
• Lanuza Pastoral Center -
• Inday Dina - N9 13.954 E126 03.541, cell 0949.673.2121
• 3E Lodge -
• Priz Babak Beach Resort -
• Surf Lanuza Training -
• Surf Camp - N9 14.126 E126 03.674, fronting beach, P150/pax non a/c, P1200/room/2pax a/c

Caving Blogs by TheLoneRider

1. Canghaling Cave November 14, 2023
2. The Return to Hinagdanan Cave Nov 5, 2017
3. Exploring Hinagdanan Cave Oct 24, 2017
4. Exploring Guimba and Sog-ong Caves of Loboc Oct 22, 2017
5. Exploring Combento Cave Pool June 29, 2017
6. Visiting Cabagnow Cave Pool of Anda Jun 28, 2017
7. Exploring Bukilat Cave, Camotes Islands Feb 28, 2017
8. Exploring Timubo Cave of Camotes Islands Feb 9, 2017
9. Exploring Holy Crystal Cave of Camotes Islands Feb 9, 2017
10. Exploring Bakwitan Cave of Gigantes Island Dec 30, 2016
11. Visting Pangihan Cave of Malay Dec 14, 2016
12. Exploring Maanghit Cave in Libertad Dec 9, 2016
13. Visiting Ati Cave in Libertad Dec 9, 2016
14. Visiting the Elephant Cave (Goa Gajah) July 9, 2016
15. Visiting the Nam Lot and the Pha Khong Caves of Phan District May 18, 2016
16. Visiting Batu Caves of Kuala Lumpur Feb 18, 2015
17. Exploring Silop Cave of Surigao City Jun 22, 2013
18. Exploring Bakwitan Cave of Tuburan, Surigao del Sur May 25, 2013
19. Exploring Campamento Cave of Lanuza, Surigao del Sur May 17, 2013
20. Exploring Dayao Cave of Tandag, Surigao del Sur May 12, 2013
21. Exploring Sumalsag Cave of Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon Apr 21, 2013
22. The Fabulous People of Roxas City (Igang Cave) Nov 25-27, 2012
23. Exploring the Cantabon Cave of Siquijor Feb 23, 2012
24. Marinduque with UPM's Rumble Reggae (Sawa Cave) May 29 - June 1, 2009
25. Backpacking Cagayan de Oro (Macahambus Cave) Mar 7-9, 2009
26. Sagada Cave Connection - Lumiang Cave to Sumaging Cave September 12, 2008
27. Mountaineering with Lakay Kalikasan Mountaineers (Kalinawan Cave) November 25, 2007
28. Sabang, Palawan (Underground River) November 14-21, 2007
29. Sagada (Sumaging Cave) October 18, 2005
30. The Cordillera - Day 5: Sagada (Sumaging Cave) May 3, 2005

SUGGESTED ITINERARY
(along the Surigao coastline from Surigao City to Surigao del Sur)

Surigao City

• Rite of Passage on Cantrasa Shoal Jul 12, 2013
• Karma Yoga in Surigao City July 5, 2013
• The Wooden Footbridge and Waterfall of Cantiasay, Surigao City July 1, 2013
• Outdoor Adventure Tour in Nonoc Island, Surigao City Jul 1-2, 2013
• The Deadly Bitaugan Whirlpool of Surigao City Jun 26, 2013
• Beaching it at Pebble Beach and Looc Beach, Surigao City Jun 22-24, 2013
• Exploring Silop Cave of Surigao City Jun 22, 2013
• Free-Diving the Coral Reef of Birok Islet, Surigao City June 12, 2013
• Boat Ride through the Floating Village of Day-asan June 12, 2013

Surigao del Norte

• Island Hopping Adventures in Tagana-an, Surigao del Norte July 23-25, 2013
• Exploring Siargao's Cloud 9 July 18-20, 2013
• Judging Del Carmen's Beauty Pagent and Street Dancing July 15-16, 2013
• Diving the Reef of Cagtinae, Surigao del Norte Jul 7, 2013

Cantilan

• Ayoke Island May 27, 2013
• Casarica Island May 27, 2013
• General Island May 27, 2013

Carmen

• Sua Cold Spring - in Brgy Esperanza. From main highway, get off at Madrid terminal and take motorcycle ride for the spring. If coming from Lanuza, get off at crossing of Cangcaban then take habal-habal for the spring
• Hubason River May 18, 2013

Lanuza

• Lanuza Marine Park and Sanctuary May 17, 2013 - coral reef, snorkeling, cafe. Also a short walk to Magkawas Falls.
• Magkawas Falls in Lanuza, Surigao del Sur May 16, 2013
• Silop Spring May 16, 2013
• Campamento Cave May 16, 2013
• Herrera Ancestral Home

Cortes

• Lubcon Falls - from Tandag, take jeep for Cantilan or Cortes and ask the driver to drop you off at Lubcon Falls, P25, 30 mins, 15 kms
• Burgos Togonan Falls
• Laswitan - strong waves crashing against the rocks and spilling over to fill up a rock pool (while you're dipping in it)
• Campiri Rocks - going over huge boulders, dipping in a rock pool, standing on a rock summit as waves hits and splash against it, and to cap all, you rest on the base of the light house perched on top of the rocks in full view of the magnificent Pacific Ocean
• Bakwitan Cave - a refuge by the towns folk during the Japanese occupation and during the typhoon of 2004
• Buybuyan Beach - small beach, almost like a personal beach, fine white sand (there are no commercial establishments on the beach...its undeveloped)
• Sihagan Beach - fine white sand for long walks on a beach (there are no commercial establishments on the beach...its undeveloped)
• Uba Marine Sanctuaries - scuba dive with gear from the LGU. At P250 per dive, you can't beat it!
• Capandan Marine Sanctuaries - scuba dive with gear from the LGU. At P250 per dive, you can't beat it!
• Balibadon Marine Sanctuary
• Mabahin Marine Sanctuary
• Tigao Marine Sanctuary
• Poblacion Marine Sanctuary

Tandag

• Exploring Dayao Cave of Tandag, Surigao del Sur May 12, 2013
• Brgy. Bongtud - Twin Linungao Island, Mancagangi Island & MPA (Marine Protected Area - fish sanctuary)

Cagwait

• white sand beaches

Salvacion

• Britania Islets May 6-8, 2013 - small islets dotting the bay. Island tour, beach, mangrove forest.

Hinatuan

• Enchanted River May 6, 2013
• Sibadan Fish Cage May 5, 2013

Mangagoy

• Tinuy-an Falls

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